Electronic mail (email) processing is the primary use of the Internet today. Modern Internet users desire to send web page information to others via email. For example, a user may wish to send another person a web page that the user is constructing for the purposes of soliciting the recipient's comments. The attachment of a web page to an email note is difficult at best.
A typical web page consists of a main HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) source file and a host of resource files, such as graphics files, sound files, etc. Often, resource files are maintained within a predetermined folder structure and the main HTML source document includes links to the locations of the resource files within that folder structure. Because any given resource file may be in a folder that is different than the folder containing the main HTML document, the links in the HTML document will not be accurate, unless the resource files are maintained in the predefined folder structure. If the links are not accurate, then the web page will not function, because the aspects of the web page supported by linked content (e.g., graphics resource files) will not be supported by links to the resource files' actual locations.
When a web page is sent as an attachment to an email note, the folder structure and/or resource files may not be transmitted to the recipient. No currently available email client supports attaching a folder to an email note. Thus, if a user wishes to send a web page via email the user must attach the main HTML source file as well as each resource file corresponding to a link in the main HTML source file. Unfortunately, the folder structure of the web page will be lost and if the links point to resource files in folders other than that containing the main HTML document, then the web page will not be properly displayable. That is, the web page will not be functional.
Various approaches exist for packing web pages into a single file that can be attached to an email note, so that an email recipient can extract and display the web page in its original form. However, none of these approaches provides an automatic means for sending a web page via email.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a process for attaching a web page to an email note, so that the web page's resource file folder structure is maintained, such that the web page can be displayed in its original form. The process should be automatic, so that the user can attach the complete web page by simply dragging the main HTML document into the email note.